Choc James on Chicago Steppin’. Being Your Own Cheerleader

I jumped at the chance to interview Choc James to hear his point of view on Chicago Steppin’. Choc James is originally from Detroit and moved to Cleveland, Ohio about five years ago. He piqued my interest because his name is popular on Facebook whether in videos, at an event, on a flyer, or his name is a controversial part of a group conversation. And, he is everywhere. As a Detroit native, he learned to ballroom about fifteen years ago. Choc James didn’t start to step Chicago style until he was already in Cleveland and lost the love for ballroom. He says “Ballroom is not as exciting as steppin’. It is more laid back and with steppin’ I can do a lot more. It’s exciting and I love the energy.”

Choc’s Introduction to Steppin’

A young lady at his daughter’s cheerleading squad’s competition in Cleveland introduced Choc to steppin’ when she mentioned Maurice “Moe” Keys and the dance he does called Chicago Style steppin’. He contacted Maurice, they watched each other dance. Maurice agreed to learn ballroom from Choc and Choc started attended Maurice’s classes to learn to step. His instructor, Maurice, never took to ballroom but both men kept it steppin’ and now Choc has been steppin’ for about three and a half years. Some may think based on his dance that Choc has been steppin’ longer than three years. Choc believes he has put in the work and work ethic means everything to him. Choc says, “I am always a student of the dance.” I tried to find out more about the mystique of this man, Choc James. Here goes: –

Why do you enjoy steppin’ Chicago style? 

I enjoy steppin’ because you know they say, “Music calms the savage beast.” Dance takes me to a whole other place, away from the stresses of life itself, and of course I love the fellowship. Taking on steppin’ was a challenge for me and I just fell in love with it. I have an addictive personality and the love of the dance has me obsessed. I remember when I used to wake up Shuga at 5 a.m. in the morning to try a new move or to make sure my steps were right. There were times that I felt as though I was counting myself to sleep. It had me looking crazy at times.

How long have you been instructing and why did you start instructing?

With those who want to learn, I give what others gave me. Others have labeled me as an instructor and have been instructing for about two years now. How did this come about? Someone who didn’t know how to count asked me to teach them. Others would ask, “Choc show me that move!” And there was the birth of an instructor.  At that point, people said, “Don’t pay attention to negativity.” I was under the guidance of those that were already instructing for many years – Donald Gardner out of Cleveland, Victor James, Sarah Teagle, and Ann Hunter.  I assisted them as I was learning and they helped to guide me on what I needed to know as an instructor.

 What are the steppin’ goals for Choc’s students?

I want my students to reach a level of understanding that cannot be given – to build self-confidence, and for them to trust what I give to them. At the end of the day, I want my dance to be what Chicagoans want and my foundation to be fundamentally sound. I reach deep to meet those goals. I want their experience to be as pure as possible with the dance. Maurice “Moe Keys” Keys gave me my fundamentals. Jacques Sanders gave me my understanding of the dance. Kevin Dockery gave me what it took to understand the music and what I can do with it at my level. The way they hear music in Chicago is different than I hear it, because again, I am not from Chicago.  A lot of people take workshops and don’t retain it, but I soak up everything and remember it.

How Choc describes his your style of  Chicago-style Steppin’?

This is gonna sound crazy. I have to be my own cheerleader. In my humblest opinion, I am a cross between Tyk Mann and Westside Mike, and I say this in the humblest way. This is my focus.  This is what I want for me. Yes, I have a long way to go. I feel I dance big (flamboyant) and I like to add excitement to my dance. Of course, it depends on who I am dancing with. I dance at my partner’s level.

What does Choc hope to achieve in the steppin’ community?

To reach as many steppers as I can in the community to share the knowledge that I have and what I can offer. We can all be a great part of what we know and others will consider as history. The culture is on the rise and to be able to share it is really awesome. My love of Chicago-style Steppin’ really keeps me going.

Tell us about “Choc’s Guide for Steppers.” How did that come about and where can we find it?

Some of it is what I know steppin’ to be based on where I am and what others gave to me. When I deliver something it comes from the top – the proprietors, old school’s greats, and legends. I try not to water anything down. The guide is for those that are basic to who we have named beyond beginners. I am delivering the fundamentals in the way that I know from the dance and from Iary “Kat in the Hat” Israel. I spoke to him prior to doing it and he said that he wants me to put it out, to share information especially bout the etiquette.

Those that don’t have it will have a chance to have it. There are new people now that don’t know all the legends or a way to get through to meet them. I speak about some of the legends and go into some of the history they shared with me. I want to give students different information and I mention Iary as a great orchestrator of the dance. This is a person you can reach out to. I encourage steppers to look him up. I pass the guide out in my workshops.

Where will we see Choc on the dance floor in the next 30 days?

I am in San Diego now.At the end of October Shuga, my wife, and I will be in DC with Norman Cherry and his crew at Steppin’ In Our Nations Capitol. When I am not traveling, I also teach in Cleveland every Tuesday and Pittsburgh every Thursday to help grow that community.

What does Choc say to the naysayers that don’t understand his motives?

God bless ‘em. If you feel something is off about my dance or teaching, I hope you will pull me to the side and talk to me about it. Give me what you think I don’t have. It is hard to believe that someone that has something negative to say would not try to address it and bring it to the forefront. Let’s hope this interview reaches any of the folks that are concerned.

Choc plans to compete in WLSC 2018. Why?

I have been talking to my wife about this and she’d rather not do it because of the negative energy that is out there as it pertains to the dance. As much as I want to compete, it seems that people attach so much mess to it. If I want to continue to grow my brand I am going to stay the course and keep doing what I am doing. So at this point, I am not sure. Several ladies have asked me to compete a few times, but I have to put a lot of thought into it. I will decide by January if I am going to do it or not but would rather do it with my wife.

Choc’s advice to new steppers that are falling in love with Chicago-style Steppin’?

You have to show that you love it. Get out there and get what the community offers. You have to go to Chicago, and attend classes. Take some workshops and you may have to take a few privates here and there because you can only get so much out of classes. Dance with the out of towners so you can get that feel of what different people want.

The ladies have it so good in this dance because a lady can dance with 10 different guys and hopefully those men give her 10 different things and 10 different styles of dance. Get out there and experience it all, but try to stay away from the negativity. It can be hard but people like mess. Mess sells. I feel sorry for where some things have gone when it comes to steppin’ but keep it positive. You have got to be your own cheerleader and don’t let anybody bring you down. Keep pushing forward.

A Lesson in Steppin’ from the older generation in the Steppin’ Community?

I have learned people are going to be people. No one in steppin’ is on the same accord and the division hurts the dance and the community. The east side of Chicago may dance differently than the north side and the instruction brings that difference to students outside of Chicago. Students lose so much in that mixed instructions and then Chicago reprimands a student’s dances. If you want us to have it, you have got to give it to us. Some cats hold out. The ones I associate myself with they give, give, give – like Swan, Donnie Davis, Doc, Jacques Sanders, Josiah Burt, Tyk Mann.

They don’t mind giving and don’t hold back because they think you’re going to use it against them in a contest. If an instructor is good, the student at some point, should become as good if not better. You can only hold the crown for so long. One thing that will eventually get a stepper is age. Taboo said it best, “I have Tyk Mann and Shawn Bandy. It’s time to pass the torch and I am done. Some people are into themselves and are stingy.

He read my mind. Choc James on Team Petty.

It is so sad that in our community, to be straightforward, with black folks, there is a crab in the bucket mentality and people don’t want to see others grow. I gotta ask myself why. It can only be jealousy or hating – no in between. Pick one. They mention me and Tyk Mann the most, so if you really look Team Petty attacks the ones that play a big part in the community or whose name is out there. They rarely pick on somebody that isn’t a big name in the community or that doesn’t hold a certain position.

For Team Petty to pick on Tyk or Taboo – Come on. You are talking about legends. What are you doing? Our community is average age of 50. I don’t understand how they get some of their followers. We are perpetuating this situation when we feed into the negativity of our own people. I am not really trippin’ because what they are doing for me is great. Some people that follow them never really knew Choc. They put my name up so many times, so readers look me up. Why is Team Petty picking on Choc? Any publicity is good publicity. In my eyes, they are helping me and I appreciate the love.

To those that believe in me. I appreciate you, and I love you. I want this dance to grow and reach a different demographic. We don’t have a lot of twenty-somethings in this dance and we want to reach them. I appreciate what my wife has done to help my dance and my group, “Ohio’s Most Wanted Steppers” supports me. So in the words of Sherry Gordon “Spread the love.”

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